MADURAI: Shocked with the findings that the Thamirabarani is polluted even at the source at Agasthiyar Falls, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday told officials to inspect and file a report on the causes of pollution, and sought an action plan to eradicate or prevent the same.
The court issued the directions to the deputy director of forests, Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, the joint chief environmental engineer of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Tirunelveli collector.
A special bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalendhi further directed additional advocate general Veera Kathiravan to obtain instructions on whether the state government has any proposal to call upon the Ministry of Jal Shakti to seek funds for the rejuvenation of the Thamirabarani.
The directions were issued on a batch of petitions, including a contempt petition, filed by one S Kamaraj alias Muthalakurichi Kamaraj, alleging that sewage water flows into the Thamirabarani. The main petition was already disposed of by the court in March this year, by issuing a series of directions to various departments. However, the matter is being listed periodically for reporting compliance.
In the previous hearing, the judges mentioned the findings of their inspection of the river on November 10, and sought a report from the collector and corporation commissioner on funds allotted and utilised by the state government towards the conservation of Thamirabarani River.
However, when the case was heard on Monday, the collector reported that except for the Rs 271 crore received under the AMRUT Scheme for underground drainage system and Rs 45 lakh and Rs 40 lakh sanctioned for removal of seemai karuvelam trees and choke pits, respectively, no funds were allotted for the river itself.
Confirming the same, the Tirunelveli corporation commissioner further added that the government has a proposal to allot Rs 40 crore for the river under the Pollution Abatement and Riverfront Development Project.
Expressing concern over the fact that no specific funds have been allotted by the government for the restoration of the river, the judges asked the AAG to inquire if the state is likely to get financial support from the Ministry of Jal Shakti.